


Of Gripping Nightmares and Lingering Dark

by twilighteve



Series: Quintessential [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Langst, Nightmares, Team as Family, Trauma, lance needs hugs and kisses, post rescue, quintessence corruption is bad lads don't get corrupted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 02:42:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11773809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twilighteve/pseuds/twilighteve
Summary: They might have gotten Lance back, but weeks of corruption have left its mark. Wound of the body was easy to recover from; the cryopod could heal anything given enough time. Wound of the mind, wound of the soul… it was harder, much harder, to heal.Direct continuation to Of Broken Bonds and Corrupted Soul





	Of Gripping Nightmares and Lingering Dark

 

Dark. It was dark. He was drowning, and there was nothing he could do.

… _ance_ …

It felt like he was bound. The darkness was like a coil around him, gripping him tight that he couldn’t even lift a finger. And it was cold, so cold.

… _Lance_ …

He didn’t know why, but he thought the cold was supposed to be soothing. It was supposed to be calming. It should mean comfort and acceptance. And yet, everything here is cold, and distant, and unnerving.

_Lance, wake up…_

It was scary. He was scared. He wanted to get out, but he didn’t know how.

_Lance…!_

He was drowning. He was scared. He was drowning. He was scared. He needed help. He needed someone to pull him out, to the surface, to the air, to something to fill his lungs, anything but the cold, dark _something_ that drowned him without mercy.

_Lance, please!_

Please. He needed help.

_Lance!_

Please pull him out.

“LANCE!”

His eyes snapped open as he gasped in a breath, gulping air like he hadn’t breathed in years. He felt disoriented. It was warm, and the lights were dim, and there were hands on him, holding him tight, grounding. He wasn’t alone, and it felt like home.

He looked around, drinking his surroundings, finally realizing where he was. It was the lounge of the castle-ship, in the sunken area. Ever since he got back from the whole captured-and-corrupted fiasco and the team had sorted out how to return the freed prisoners to the home planets (save for select few who became envoys and stayed with them, like Pythia), they had set up camp at the lounge and had sleepovers at least two nights a week. Lance had protested, at first, because how could they used the lounge like that when there were other people, allies, in the ship? Turned out, though, that the lounge they had been using was a sort of personal living room for the Paladins, and there was a separate, larger lounge where the allies could chill around in.

That two-days sleepover had turned into full-on _every night_ sleeping pile when the nightmares started. At first Lance didn’t think it was much – he got his first nightmare when he slept alone in his room, and thought it was a one-time thing. But then he got another, and another, and another, and there was no rhyme or reason as to what triggered it. When his teammates found out, they immediately set up the new sleeping arrangement. They found out that it was always better if there was someone near him when he had a nightmare, so they made sure at least one of them would be there for him.

Which explained the predicament.

Lance was lying on his back, looking up at his teammates that surrounded him. Each of them wore am expression of relief. Lance blinked at them before pushing himself up.

“Easy there,” Hunk muttered immediately, though he helped him up all the same.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Lance assured. “I can sit up. It’s fine.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Keith asked softly. “The nightmare?”

Lance shrugged. “It’s… just like usual. I felt like drowning, it was dark. Nothing really noteworthy.”

“The playlist I made for you didn’t help?” Pidge asked, frowning.

Lance looked back at his pillow, where the green headphones lie. Pidge had given it to him along with an extensive playlist to help him sleep. He moved around a lot when he had a nightmare; it must have fallen off then. He turned back to Pidge and pulled his lips into a smile. “It did, Pidge, honest. If I didn’t have your playlist I’m sure I’d have gotten that nightmare much earlier.”

Pidge frowned and nodded, but she muttered to herself. Something about research and better playlist. Lance sighed, smiling fondly at her.

He turned to Hunk and flopped at his laps. “Hunk, my man, my gorgeous golden guy, my most precious meatloaf. I’d lay down my weapons and _die_ for you if you can whip me up some really great hot cocoa right now.”

Hunk laughed at that. “Come on, Lance, there’s no need to butter me up. Of course I’ll make you some space hot cocoa. In fact, I’ll make one so good you won’t be able to drink regular cocoa anymore!”

“Don’t feed me some faery drink, now, buddy,” Lance teased. It felt good to fall into a familiar routine. He could feel the vulnerability that the nightmare had presented to him starting to fade. He could pretend that he wasn’t such a messed up guy, such a screw up, such a disappointment, that he wasn’t the weak little thing he really was.

“No promises,” Hunk shot back with a grin. “Come on, let’s go to the kitchen and we can all get some space cocoa.”

* * *

 

Lance didn’t smile as much.

That was one of the few things the team took notice of. Before, his default expression was that of good moods, a smile on his face or a twinkle in his eyes. His lips stretched into grins easily, as if it was as natural as breathing for him. His laughs rang like bells, filling the castle with warmth and familiarity.

When he was in captivity, the castle had felt so empty, so silent. They’d never realized how Lance’s presence there made the castle felt so much more like home. Not until when he was gone. It made them even more driven to get Lance back.

When he was back in the castle, they all waited for him to smile, to light up the room with laugh, to start making them feel at home with his cheesy pick-up lines.

He _did_ smile, but only sparingly. His laugh came out forced, or grim, or nervous, or even borderline hysterical at times, more often than not. His easy, confident strides became nervous shuffles, and he glanced back and forth, back and forth, searching for something he never quite found. It decreased, the more time he spent together with his team, but the skittishness never really went away.

They didn’t know what to do to convince Lance that he was safe.

* * *

 

He was curling into himself within his own mind, trying to preserve what little blue he still held even as the inky black around him corroded his color into something he couldn’t recognize. Yellow and red rushed to meet blue, trying to save him, trying to regain his color.

They were swallowed by inky black, dragged down and unable to come up again. Far away, Green screamed as the darkness rolled her in, and twinkling, silvery black flashed brightly before blinking away. Pink flared angrily, holding the inky black back, but she too was consumed.

Purple came to him, a smile at her face.

Lance woke up screaming. There was something in his face, something beneath his skin, a lingering something that was _gross_ and _repulsive_ and _vile_. Hands grabbed his shoulders immediately, and he struggled, _get off get off don’t touch me_ –

“Lance!”

He sucked in a deep breath, finally looking up. He could feel the lingering something vanishing, and he realized suddenly that it wasn’t even there in the first place. He was imagining things, caught between memory and reality. It was weird, disorientating, and not in the least bit frightening, considering that he couldn’t even remember much of the memory he was recalling in his dreams.

“Lance,” Pidge, who was holding him, called quietly. “Are you okay?”

Lance opened his mouth and inhaled a lungful of air, only to close it again in confusion. Was he okay? He didn’t think he was. He didn’t know if he could be again.

“It was another nightmare, wasn’t it?” Pidge asked again, tone grim.

Lance nodded jerkily. He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes, not pleased to realize they were moist. He was back, dammit. He was supposed to be okay. He’d been pulled out of that inky black, the bond was now safe, everything was great. Everything _should_ be great. Why was he such a mess?

“What was it about?” It was Hunk, this time, who asked. Lance looked up and realized that everyone had been woken up, and embarrassment and guilt slammed into him with the force of a raging lion. They couldn’t even get a good night’s rest because of him. He kept waking them up. They needed their rest, and he was disturbing them.

Lance shook his head and sniffed. “Don’t worry about it. It’s passed already.”

“Why not?” Keith asked. “You’ve always liked talking. Why suddenly stop now?”

“What he meant is,” Shiro dove in immediately, “it seems that talking has helped you before, so it should help you now too, right?”

Lance looked down. “I mean… yeah, but…”

“Just talk, Lance,” Keith sighed. “We want to help, you know? But we can’t do it if you won’t let us.”

“Please, Lance,” Hunk pleaded, staring at Lance with his big brown eyes. Lance’s resolve crumbled immediately. Hunk’s puppy dog eyes were the _worst_. How could he ever say no to that?

“I was… back there,” Lance admitted with a sigh. “Back in the dark. Hunk and Keith came to get me, but they were… swallowed. And then Pidge was, too, and Shiro, and Allura. Haggar was there. She was smiling. I couldn’t get away. I was trapped.”

Silence, suffocating and stifling, fell over the room. Lance ducked his head, squirming, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes. He kept talking to banish away the quiet, but it didn’t feel like it was working.

“Sometimes I feel scared to be alone back there,” he began, his words too fast and rushed, matching the quickening pace of his heartbeat. “Sometimes I’m not, and I just feel confused and unsure of where I was. Sometimes I wished you’d come and you never do. Sometimes you do, and that’s worse, because that means the entire team will suffer, and it’s better that it’s just me than you guys. Sometimes you do, and you were killed right then and there. Sometimes I wished you’d leave me back there because I don’t want you to get into Haggar’s radar. Sometimes I don’t even know what I wish for.”

“Lance.” Surprisingly – or perhaps not – it was Keith who ended his tirade, wrapping Lance’s hands in his own ungloved ones. The warmth of his skin grounded Lance, and he took a deep breath, peering up though hazy, watery vision to meet deep violet eyes.

“That was just a dream,” Keith said firmly. “What actually happened is that we all pulled you out of that hellhole you were shoved in. You know that, right?”

Lance sniffed indignantly. “Of course I do.”

“You know we’d do it all over again if we have to, right?”

Lance froze. Blue gazed into violet, and Lance stilled.

“You’re important for us, Lance,” Shiro spoke softly, his flesh hand landing on his shoulder and squeezed gently. “We’d do anything to save you if anything ever happens to you again. We’ll make sure it _wouldn’t_ happen, whatever it is. Okay?”

_No, not okay_ , Lance’s mind screamed. He was such a screw up, he couldn’t even handle a few nightmares on his own. Shiro went through some pretty sick stuff too and he could handle it. Why couldn’t Lance? Why couldn’t he be more competent?

Instead, he swallowed and forced a smile. It still wasn’t okay, but the least he could do was respond, “Well, let’s hope nothing happens then.”

He didn’t say _no, I’d rather not_ , or _no, I’m not worth the trouble_. It still echoed in his mind.

Pidge initiated a cuddle pile, and it startled a laugh out of Lance. He wished that there would be no more nightmares, no more sleepless night plagued by terrors of things he couldn’t even remember clearly.

At least for that night, his wish was granted.

* * *

 

There was something missing from Lance. It wasn’t his easy smiles or echoing laugh or light footsteps; those were easy to figure out and point out. This was something else, something deeper. But what?

They didn’t find out what until Keith’s feelings got the better of him again and he accidentally spiked the room’s temperature to a degree where, to quote Pidge, “someone could bake a cake here”.

“Ugh, Keith!” Pidge yelled in frustration. “I know you’re mad but come on, try not to fry us all whenever you’re emotional.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Keith apologized profusely. “I’m still trying to get better at controlling this.”

“Lance, do you think you can give us a hand?” Hunk asked with a sigh.

Lance froze like a deer trapped in the headlights, pupils blown wide and limbs rigid. “I, uh,” he began nervously, “give a hand with what?”

Shiro’s brow lifted up high. “Well, we’d be glad if you can lower the temperature, for starters.”

Lance’s laugh was shrill, infused with so much panic that they were surprised he didn’t dart away right then and there. “Lower the temperature? What for? It’s nice and toasty here, like at the beach!”

It clicked, then. There was no more light snowfall that Lance created with a childlike grin, simply to feel the coolness of snow falling around them. There was no slight dropping of the temperature that Lance did on a whim, just because. There was no more cold jokes, no more ice-related puns, no more hint of the cold frost in his pick-up lines. Any and every hint of ice had vanished from Lance’s person save for Blue’s ice ray.

_Ice Mage_ , Haggar had called him. _Ice Mage of the Galra Empire_.

* * *

 

For the umpteenth time that week, Lance woke up with a dying scream that choked at his throat and gripped at his lungs. His hair was drenched with sweat, his vision swimming with tears, his hands wet with blood.

Or was that just the remnant of his dream?

“Lance! Lance! You’re okay, you’re here, you’re safe!”

“No!” the word ripped at his throat as he curled into himself, hands gripping and pulling at his hair. It pained him, the way his scalp burned. He tightened his grips.

“Lance, you’re back at the castle. It’s alright!”

“It’s not! It’s not!”

“Lance – “

“It’s not! I killed them! I killed them! I’m a – “ he choked on a sob, the word _murderer_ clinging at the tip of his tongue and haunted every corner of his mind, but he couldn’t bring himself to spit it out.

He found himself being smothered, arms wrapping around him, and he struggled before he realized that he was being hugged. He melted into the embrace, finally recognizing Hunk’s gentle touch, and sobbed into his best friend’s shirt.

“You’re safe, buddy,” Hunk cooed soothingly. “It’s alright. We’re here for you. It’s okay.”

He shook his head stubbornly. “No, it’s not. It’s not.”

“It will be.”

“It won’t.”

“Trust me, Lance. It _will_ be. We’ll make sure of that. Okay?”

He shook his head again, more adamant this time. “No, it won’t. I killed them. It’s not okay.”

Hunk fell silent at that, and he let Lance sob into his shirt, his gentle fingers combing at Lance’s gross sweaty hair. The repetitive movement calmed Lance somewhat, soothing his bone-deep ache and fear that plagued his mind still.

When he was calm enough to speak without having his voice waver, Lance whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“Hmmm?” Hunk disentangled himself from Lance and held him at an arm’s length. “Sorry, buddy, I didn’t catch that.”

“I’m sorry,” Lance repeated, louder.

Someone shuffled, and Shiro’s voice rang out, “You have nothing to apologize for. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

Lance ducked low, shaking his head forcefully. “No, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’m such a pathetic little thing. I’m sorry I’m such a screw up. I’m sorry I’m useless.”

Silence befell them, but Pidge broke it before long. “What do you mean?”

Anger bubbled up before Lance could stop it. He looked up and snapped, “That I’m a broken paladin, okay?!”

Each of his teammates stared at him silently, eyes wide with something he couldn’t recognize. Keith broke out of his stupor first, leaning forward and speaking, “You’re not.”

“I am!” Lance lashed. “I know I am! Even from the start I’m not the best pilot. You guys are so much better at doing what we do than I am. And then I got – and then _Haggar_ happened, and now I’m just this broken little thing who can’t even handle his stupid nightmares. Shiro’s been through a lot too, and he handles himself just fine!”

Shiro shifted uneasily. “Um, Lance – “

“This team deserves better, okay?” Lance plowed on without care. “You deserve someone who can match your pace. There are a lot more talented pilots out there. Maybe it’s time to find a new paladin.”

Blue’s presence slammed into his mind, then. She didn’t usually make herself known when he was talking to the others that her action sent Lance reeling in shock.

_No!_ she screamed in his mind. _You’re my paladin. I don’t want anyone else!_

_You deserve better, Blue,_ Lance argued. _I can’t even sleep without getting a nightmare._

_You’re_ mine _,_ Blue growled. _You’re mine and I won’t give you up for anything, not if I can help it. I’ve lost you once. I won’t lose you again_.

“Lance, we don’t want another paladin,” Hunk protested. “We want you. I mean, sure, you’re a little messed up right now – “

Lance barked a mocking laugh. “ _A little_?”

“ – but anyone would be a little messed up after going through what you went through,” Hunk continued as if Lance hadn’t interrupted him. “We’ll be here. We’ll help you unmess yourself. We’ll be fine.”

Lance shook his head. “You don’t understand. I could be a danger to you all. I can’t have that.”

Keith frowned. “What do you mean, danger?”

Lance took a deep breath and slumped, suddenly feeling tired, so tired. “I don’t remember much about what I did when I was… under. But I saw the ice pillars. I saw the Druids.” He took a shuddering breath and continued, “And I saw them in my dreams.”

He could feel his friends’ attention zeroing on him, listening to him raptly. He fidgeted and huffed. He didn’t like to talk about it, but he had to. They had to understand.

“I’m not sure at first if it was real,” he spoke softly, carefully, “but then I know it was, the way I know my hair is brown or Hunk’s cooking is the greatest.”

“Aw, thanks, buddy.”

“Anytime, big guy.” Lance took another deep breath. “It’s hazy and I’m not sure I have all the pieces, but… I think, when Haggar successfully… had me, she wanted to see the extent of what I could do. I think she ordered some Druids to attack me to see how I’d fare after… Haggar. I reacted to them and I just… froze them.”

“You were just trying to defend yourself,” Keith argued immediately. “And you were under Haggar’s influence.”

Lance shook his head. “Maybe the first Druids, but… the next ones, they were just trying to save the first ones. And I struck them anyway.” He rubbed the length of his arm. “I kept attacking even though they were running away. There was no danger there. None, except me. Even Haggar tried to stop me, but she couldn’t – her hold on me wasn’t strong enough, and I’m not sure she could stop me even if it was strong enough. I didn’t stop until every Druid in the room was frozen.”

He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. “It wasn’t always the Druids that I see in my dreams. Sometimes it’s you guys, either just one or two or all of you. Allura and Coran. The aliens we’ve saved. All of you tried to stop me, all of you begged me. I didn’t stop. I – “ his voice cracked. “I remember seeing Keith, his skin frozen blue. I remember Hunk crying, and Pidge screaming. I remember freezing Shiro’s limbs and letting them fall away. I remember rolling Allura with a wave and freezing it. I remember making a spike of ice to stab Coran in the heart. I remember… my family.”

“Oh, Lance,” Hunk mumbled softly.

“I attacked Maria,” he choked on a sob. “I attacked Theo, and Arlo, and Papa and Mama. I killed Klara and Karina. My little girls.”

“You didn’t,” Pidge argued immediately. “They’re back on Earth, safe. You didn’t harm them. You didn’t harm us.”

“Not yet,” Lance whispered.

“Lance, no.”

“You don’t know,” Lance breathed helplessly. “What I did to the Druids? That’s the extent of my capabilities. I can do that to anyone if I choose to. And sometimes, I still feel like Haggar is lurking in my mind. I feel tainted and that darkness is still curling in the corners of my brain, waiting to strike again.”

“It’s not,” Shiro dove in immediately. “We reforged and strengthened our bonds. It’s cleansed the corruption off. It won’t fall victim to corruption again.”

“We can’t predict the bond!” Lance protested. “You can’t just science it, it’s not math!”

“ _Um_ ,” Pidge held up a finger to argue. Hunk slapped it down.

“That’s true,” Shiro agreed as though Pidge never said anything, “but don’t you think the Lions would have reacted if you’re really still corrupted?”

Lance flinched.

_The Black Paladin is right, you know,_ Blue nudged him from within his mind. _I would have told you. You’re far and safe from Haggar’s darkness, my Lance. I won’t let anyone get you again._

The image of his family and friends dying in his hands flashed beneath his eyelids. He drew into himself, shaking his head. “That doesn’t change the fact that I’m still dangerous.”

Blue growled in exasperation in his mind.

“I just – I can’t bear the thought that I might – “

Hands wrapped his own, metal and flesh giving off clashing coolness and warmth against his clammy skin. He looked up through his lashes to meet Shiro’s eyes, who peered at him with something akin of hurt in his gaze. Pain. For whom, Lance didn’t know.

“You said that I’ve been through a lot,” Shiro began. “And you said I’m just fine. But, Lance… you’re wrong. I’m not fine. I’ve never been, since the day I was captured during the Kerberos Mission.”

“You get by, somehow,” Lance argued, but it sounded weak even to himself.

“Because I have to,” Shiro answered. “If you think you’re a screw up for having nightmares and a danger for what you’re capable of, then so am I.”

Lance reeled back. “No, you’re not. And you don’t… I don’t think you get nightmares?”

“I do get them,” Shiro shrugged helplessly. “Not as much, now, and I tend to stay frozen in bed, unable to move when I wake up, so I guess that’s why you haven’t realized it yet.”

Lance blinked and waited. It felt like Shiro was gearing himself for a long story.

“Did you know that I have two little sisters?” Shiro asked, the question so out of nowhere that Lance felt thrown off for a moment.

“Uh, no?”

“They’re great,” Shiro said with a proud smile, a touch of longing in his eyes. “Their names are Akemi and Hisui. Akemi is the second child, and she’s… I think she’s twenty one now? Hisui’s seventeen. Oh my god, I missed three of their birthdays. They’re going to be really mad at me.”

“Akemi’s not going to be _mad_ ,” Keith corrected, rolling his eyes.

“She’s still going to give me that extremely disappointed look; it’s worse.”

“Well, that’s true. At least she won’t cry though. She’s great like that.”

Shiro snorted. “You like her better, but did you know that it was her idea to put you in that penguin onesie? Hisui was just executing it.”

Keith stared at Shiro with a gape, bearing a look of extreme betrayal. “She is no longer my favorite,” he declared, causing Shiro to laugh.

“Akemi… and Hisui,” Lance echoed the names, tasting them on his tongue. It sounded nice, somehow. Wasn’t Shiro’s given name Takashi? Side by side, they sounded nice when spoken together. Shiro’s parents had great naming sense.

Shiro positively beamed when he heard him repeat the names. “Yes, that’s how you pronounce their names. Sometimes people can’t pronounce them correctly, and they don’t like that.” His smile turned wistful. “They’re great little sisters. Akemi is the best cook out of us three, and she makes the best curry. Even better than our mom’s. She’s mature, calm, and doesn’t talk much, but when she does her words carry great weight. Hisui, on the other hand, is active and cheerful, and she’s gotten me to rest from too much studying more times than I could count. She also has a knack of bringing strays home, and Akemi is the only one who can dissuade her. They both told me they wished they could hang around with me more, when I got too busy studying for the Garrison. Not long after Kerberos Mission started, I wished I actually _had_ hung out more. I still do.”

Lance stared at him. His heart throbbed for Shiro. He understood the pain and longing for their family well. He still didn’t understand why Shiro started talking about his sisters, though.

Shiro squeezed his hands. “When I fought in the Arena… I had to kill. It was a gladiatorial match, and the only way someone could be declared a winner is if the other is dead, or at least wounded enough that they’d die in the next few minutes. I didn’t want to die, so I killed.”

Lance stared, listening raptly. The others did the same. It was the first time Shiro actually spoke about his time in the Arena, and they could feel the weight of the importance, the significance, of it.

“I still dream about it,” Shiro admitted, and Lance froze. “I still see them, the people I killed. They were all just trying to stay alive, like I was. We were all desperate to live. And I can feel their blood drying on me, sometimes. I see them gasping for breath and reaching for me. Sometimes they begged not to be killed. Sometimes they begged to be killed.” His voice fell into a mournful whisper. “I see their faces, each of them, in my dreams. When I slept in my cell back there, I dream of killing Akemi and Hisui. I woke up crying every time. Now that I’m here, I dream of killing you. I still dream of killing Akemi and Hisui. I don’t cry anymore for some reason, even if my chest feels like it’s being crushed because of all these dreams.

“So, Lance? You’re not the only screw up in this team. I’m just as messed up as you, but we have to hold on. We’re the only ones the universe has. We’re the only ones available to pilot the Lions, because we can’t just up and go find a new paladin. It’s not like we can make a grand audition for a paladin.”

The thought of a crowd of aliens standing in a row, going into a room where the current Paladins sat as judges while they acted out their best _Blue Paladin role_ like some kind of overly exaggerated audition for a musical play startled a laugh out of Lance, and once it started he found it to be impossible to stop. He bent down, giggling and wheezing, and soon the others started chuckling along. The laughter didn’t die until Lance’s face was wet with fresh, amused tears, and he wiped them as he took deep breaths to calm himself.

Shiro’s hand plopped onto Lance’s head, and he jumped in surprise. He relaxed when Shiro started ruffling his hair.

“It’s alright, Lance,” he assured. “We’re here for you.”

Lance bit his lip. It still wasn’t okay. He was still so messed up, still plagued by memories barely remembered from the time he was under and still flinched whenever he felt his own cold kissing his fingertips. But he could feel Blue’s support, strong and steady like the stream of a deep river; he could feel his friends’ warm care radiating through their bonds, and if he reached deep enough he could feel the other lions silently supporting him. Maybe he _could_ be alright, given enough time. Maybe he could start healing, him and Shiro both.

A smile tugged at his lips. He nodded, muttering a soft _thank you_.

The mood was ruined almost immediately when after a moment of silence, Hunk all but tackled him down to the bedding and snuggled into him, insisting that he would sleep being hugged to chase the nightmare away. Pidge responded immediately by snuggling to his other side and used his shoulder as a pillow, followed by Keith who used his stomach instead. Shiro laughed and used Keith’s stomach as his own pillow, curling on his side and telling Lance not to kick him.

Lance didn’t get any more nightmare that night.

* * *

 

They were in the control room, eyes glancing at Lance every now and then to check on him. For the most part, he didn’t seem to realize it, but whenever he caught their gaze, he sent a small smile their way.

That was good. Lance was smiling more.

“Are you sure you’re ready to start joining in missions, Lance?” Allura asked in worry.

Lance huffed, equal parts amused and exasperated. “ _Yes_ , Princess. I’m fine now. I can handle it. If it turns out I can’t, I’ll tell everyone over the comm link and I’ll fly back to the ship to rest. I’ll be fine.”

“Well… if you’re so sure,” Allura stepped back, finally giving Lance space. She turned to meet the other Paladins’ eyes. “So, now. About that mission.” She paused and turned to Keith. “This could potentially make you feel _very_ angry. Try to contain the heat, Keith.”

“Um… okay?”

Allura took a deep breath. Despite having just told Keith to contain his anger, she held a thunderous expression that made her look like she was ready to zap anyone who dared speak a word into oblivion. When she finally spoke, they all understood why.

“The Galra have been sending children into an empty mining planet,” she said, storm in her eyes and the barest hint of thunder growling in her voice. “They believe that conditioning the children from early age will make them more used to the living conditions. Eventually, the children will grow into adults who start families of their own – this is basically the starting stage of generations of laborious slaves, just like Shay, her family, and the rest of the Balmerans.”

Despite Allura’s warning, the temperature spiked up into uncomfortable degrees. Allura sent Keith an annoyed look, but Keith barely registered it, since he was too busy glaring furiously at the floor.

“Ugh, Keith, stop trying to bake us; I doubt we’d taste good even if seasoned properly,” Hunk groaned. “Hey, Lance, can you – uhhh.”

Shiro sent him a _look_ , and Hunk shuffled uncomfortably. Pidge glanced at Lance, watching for any kind of response.

Lance stared at his hand in contemplation. Then, haltingly, he lifted his hand and gave a hesitant twirl, eyes and fingertips glowing faint, faint blue.

Light snowfall fell, soft and beautiful, if a bit chunky. Lance winced and stopped immediately, but the temperature had lowered even if just a bit. The snowfall didn’t last as long as Lance’s usual playful sessions, but it was a start.

Things were going to be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to do Hunk's discovering his powers, but my brain kept chanting POST RESCUE LANGST, POST RESCUE LANGST so I figured I should get it out of my system before tackling other stories.
> 
> It's my heacanon that Shiro has little siblings, so I made two OCs for it. Akemi is shamelessly modeled after Homura Akemi from PMMM while Hisui is the "typical cheerful little sister type". Also, Hisui means jade and her siblings nicknamed her "the expensive one". If they ever find out about the different versions of Shiro, Akemi might be skeptical, but Hisui would just be like MORE BIG BROS, SCORE, YOU'RE ALL MINE NOW  
> And this convo will totally take place:  
> Hisui: I'm gonna call the original as Takashi Nii-san, you're Kuro Nii-san, you're Suu Nii-san, you're --  
> Akemi: Hisui we can't keep them around, they're not strays you can just adopt.  
> Hisui: But they're all Takashi Nii-san! Well, sort of.  
> Akemi: Our apartment isn't even big enough.  
> Hisui: Akemi Nee-chan, find your humanity! And besides... think about all the Osomatsu-san scenes we can reenact.  
> Akemi: ... go on.  
> Original Shiro: *facepalm* _Girls._


End file.
